Of War and Warriors
We do not wish to be spared by our best enemies, nor by those whom we love from the very heart. So let me tell
you the truth!
My brothers in war! I love you from the very heart, I am and have always been of your kind.
And I am also your best enemy. So let me tell you the truth!
I know the hatred and envy of your hearts. You are not great enough not to know hatred and envy.
So be great enough not to be ashamed of them!
And if you cannot be saints of knowledge, at least be its warriors. They are the companions
and forerunners of such sainthood.
I see many soldiers: if only I could see many warriors! What they wear is called uniform:
may what they conceal with it not be uniform too!
You should be such men as are always looking for an enemy -- for your enemy. And with
some of you there is hate at first sight.
You should seek your enemy, you should wage your war -- a war for your opinions. And if your
opinion is defeated, your honesty should still cry triumph over that!
You should love peace as a means to new wars. And the short peace more than the long.
I do not exhort you to work but to battle. I do not exhort you to peace, but to victory. May
your work be a battle, may your peace be a victory!
One can be silent and sit still only when one has arrow and bow: otherwise one babbles and
quarrels. May your peace be a victory!
You say it is the good cause that hallows even war? I tell you: it is the good war that
hallows every cause.
War and courage have done more great things than charity. Not your pity but your bravery
has saved the unfortunate up to now.
'What is good?' you ask. To be brave is good. Let the little girls say: 'To be good is to be
what is pretty and at the same time touching.'
They call you heartless: but your heart is true, and I love the modesty of your kind-heartedness.
You feel ashamed of your flow, while others feel ashamed of their ebb.
Are you ugly? Very well, my brothers! Take the sublime about you, the mantle of the ugly!
And when your soul grows great, it grows arrogant, and there is wickedness in your sublimity.
I know you.
In wickedness, the arrogant and the weak man meet. But they misunderstand one another. I know
you.
You may have enemies whom you hate, but not enemies whom you despise. You must be proud of your
enemy: then the success of your enemy shall be your success too.
To rebel -- that shows nobility in a slave. Let your nobility show itself in obeying! Let even
your commanding be an obeying!
To a good warrior, 'thou shalt' sounds more agreeable than 'I will'. And everything that is
dear to you, you should first have commanded to you.
Let your love towards life be love towards your highest hope: and let your highest hope be the
highest idea of life!
But you should let me commend to you your highest idea -- and it is: Man is something that
should be overcome.
Thus live your life of obedience and war! What good is long life? What warrior wants to be
spared?
I do not spare you, I love you from the very heart, my brothers in war!
Thus spoke Zarathustra.